What is Rural LISC?

In 1995, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), a community development support organization working in metropolitan areas across the country, launched Rural LISC, a national program created to expand LISC's reach beyond urban areas to include rural communities. Today, Rural LISC partners with 89 rural community-based organizations, including five financial intermediaries, helping them identify challenges and opportunities, and delivering the most appropriate support to meet local needs. Together we are working to transform communities in more than 2,100 counties across 45 states.

Recognizing that rural communities' needs are not focused on agriculture alone, Rural LISC provides a wide range of services, including training, technical assistance, information and financial support, to help rural community developers address the problems rural communities face. We use our Comprehensive Community Development Strategy to support our Partners in expanding investment in housing and real estate, increasing family income and wealth, stimulating economic development, improving access to quality education, and growing healthy environments and lifestyles.

Our News & Stories

The most controversial housing bill in the state was unexpectedly put on life support last week. Senate Bill 50, which would have prohibited many cities from banning mid-rise apartments around public transit, failed to advance out of a key state Senate committee, to the shock of its supporters.

Seth and Sheryl Long came to Letcher County 28 years ago to volunteer for the summer. They fell in love with the mountains and its people, and they never left. Seth and Sheryl grew up in rural and agriculture-rich Pennsylvania. Seth is the executive director of HOMES (Housing Oriented Ministries Established for Services, Inc.), the same organization in which he and Sheryl volunteered during the summer of 1991.
The couple owns a 55-acre tract in rural Letcher County, and three years ago they embarked on a venture to produce maple syrup from an abundance of maple trees found on their property.
SouthDown Farm was formed.

Sacramento County needs 63,00 new apartments and homes to meet the demand of renters, according to a new report by the California Housing Partnership. The nonprofit, which helps government and housing agencies, says this number is an increase over last year, and that stagnant supply has caused the average rent for a two-bedroom to increase to $1,445, up $95 a month compared to two years ago.